Before You Go To the Airport, Don't Forget To . . .

These are reminders for clients of my travel agency about what to do before flying. (If you don't have a trip booked with me, contact me to get started!):

• Download your airline's app. This enables you to check the status of your flights more easily, and to check-in.

  
  

• Prepare for Entry Requirements. If you are traveling to the EU or UK, you will need advanced authorization to travel. See more information here.

  
  

• Reconfirm your flights 72 hours in advance for your departure and return. Check the schedule. Flight times sometimes change after booking.

  
  

• Check your passport and pack it in your carry-on (with any other photo ID and important documents), so if your checked luggage gets lost you will have it. Check your passport to make sure it is not expired or damaged. Take a picture of your passport, save it on your phone and share it with someone who is not traveling with you so you have a record if it gets lost. 

  
  

• Check-in for your flights 24 hours in advance both for your departure and your return. Enter the lead passenger’s last name and your flight confirmation number which is a 6 digit code starting with a letter located on your e-ticket. Your e-tickets are attached to your itinerary in the Axus app. Checking-in alerts the airline that you are still going and decreases the chance they will move your seats. You can select your seats at this time (if you were unable to before), or check to make sure you are still assigned the seats you want (sometimes airlines move seating). You can also pay for your baggage. For international flights and/or when a visa is required for your final destination, you will usually need to check-in at the airport and show your passport before you are issued a boarding pass, but I still suggest you check-in online.

• Print your boarding passes, take screenshots or add them to your Apple Wallet. You will need a boarding pass to get on the plane. Some airlines don't allow you to check-in online, but most do.

  
  

• Check baggage policies with your airlines for weight and measurement limits. Most airlines now charge fees to check bags. You are typically allowed one personal item and one carry-on bag, however every airline is different. The maximum size for a carry-on bag is smaller in Europe than it is in the United States. This impacts flights within Europe on European carriers. Example: If you are flying from Paris to Bordeaux on a European carrier, the carry-on size allowed is smaller than in the United States. Lastly, it can sometimes be less expensive to pay for baggage in advance online instead of at the airport.

  
  

• Arrive at the airport 2 hours before your domestic flight, and 3 hours before your international flight in order to ensure the airline keeps your assigned seats for you, and that you make it through security on time. 

• Purchase travel insurance. You can do so up until 24 - 48 hours before you depart.

• If you check bags, pack a change of clothes (something that could be worn to dinner), and medications in the bag you will carry on board in case checked bags are lost or delayed.

  
  

  For checked bags, I suggest this coverage with Blue Ribbon Bags. My promo code is entered at the link and for $5 you get $1,000 coverage for your bag. They will track and expedite the return of your delayed baggage for 96 hours from the time your flight lands and if your bag is not found within that time you will receive $1,000. Each purchase is per person, per airline confirmation number, regardless of the number of connections. More information here.

• Arrive at the airport 2 hours before your domestic flight, and 3 hours before your international flight in order to ensure the airline keeps your assigned seats for you, and that you make it through security on time.

  
  

• If you have TSA Pre or Global Entry, here are my tips for getting them to work to skip the security line. You need to have this information entered before you check in. Check out the article for more details.

• If you do not have TSA Pre or Global Entry, you can use MyTSA App for information about delays at airports nationwide, check how busy the airport is likely to be on your specific day and time of travel based on historical data and more. Here are links to download the app:

  
  

Apple Store

Google Play

• For domestic flights, take food on board if you want to eat. Most no longer serve meals and sometimes don't provide much, if any, food for purchase.  

  
  

• Prepare for Delays Connecting in the EU and to Submit to Biometrics. More information here.

—Daria Dimitroff, Updated June 2026

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Contact me to customize your next trip. My specialities are bespoke luxury vacations, group trips, and exclusive cruise experiences.

You can reach me at daria@journeysofalifetime.biz or 415-939-5773 or schedule a call here.